1886-87.] Mr Lindsay's Report on Open-Air Vegetation. 127 



March. — The weather was rough, with much snow, wind, 

 and frequent frosts. Vegetation, having been forced on by 

 the unusual mildness of the preceding month, suffered a 

 severe check, and made little progress till near the end of 

 the month. Compared with last year, the season is still 

 considerably in advance. The thermometer was at or below 

 the freezing point on eighteen nights, and 100° of frost were 

 registered for the month as against 134° for the corresponding 

 month last year. 



The lowest readings of the thermometer were, on the 12th, 

 24°; 13th, 18°; 14tlC24°; 15th, 23°; 21st, 24°. The highest 

 morning readings were, on the 2nd, 42°; 3rd, 44°; 7th, 35°; 

 27th, 39°; 31st, 39°. The lowest day temperature was 29°, 

 which occurred on the 11th, and the highest 52°, on the 

 30th. 



Flowers of FJwdodcndron prcecox, B. NoUeanmn, and E. 

 atrovirens were much injured by the frost on the 9th ; Eoses, 

 which had started into growth, had their young leaves slightly 

 browned; no other injury was observed. Snow fell more or 

 less from the 10th till the 22nd, which helped to protect 

 spring-flowering plants. Thorns, Poplar, and Lilac were well 

 advanced in leaf. Willows, Alder, Elms, Pijrus japonica, 

 Bibes sanguineum, and Forsythia viridissima were flowering 

 profusely. Magnolia and Prunus triloba were well set with 

 flower-buds. Spring-flowering bulbous plants were vigorous 

 and flowering well, although cold drying winds and absence 

 of anything like genial rains was beginning to tell on 

 them. 



On the Eock Garden a large number of plants flowered. 

 Sixty-five species came into bloom durmg March, exclusive 

 of those which opened in the previous month, many of which 

 are still flowering. Among the most interesting which 

 opened in March were the following, \'iz.: — Corydalis angusti- 

 folia, Primula denticulata, Erica carnea, Chionodoxa Lucilice, 

 Saxifraga sctncta, S. oppositifolia var. aretioides, S. Burseriana 

 var. Boydii, Puschkinia scilloides, Polygala Chamcebuxns and 

 purpurea, Pachystema Canbyi, Draba Mawei, Anemone 

 Pulsatilla, &c. 



Of the forty spring-flowering plants whose dates of 

 flowering are annually recorded to the Society the following 

 fifteen came into flower, viz.: — 



